Drying apparatus



DRYING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

BY e.

' ATTORNEYS.

July 9, 1929. A. GALLERANI' DRYING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet Fly 5.

INVENTOR.

A TORNEYS.

Patented July 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES ALEXANDER GALLERANI, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRYING APPARATUS.

Application filed January 25, 1928.

This invenion relates to apparatus for treating alimentary pastes such as spaghetti, and particularly to dr ng apparatus therefor.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide apparatus of the above designated character which may be :ulapted to effect a uniform treatment of the material in a minimum amount of time and which shall assure uniform qi'lality irrespective of weather conditions which have had a material influence on apparatus heretofore constructed for the purpose stated.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for treating spaghetti and the like woich may be provide l with means for regulating atmospheric conditions within the treating chamber for the purpose of controlling the treatment to which the material is subjected.

Still another object of the invention is to provide drying and treating apparatus of simple. compact and durable mechanical const 'uction which shall be. relatively inexpensive and which shall be capable of treating a relatively large quantity of material in a minimum amount of time whereby a ma terial saving of floor space is effected on account of the greater capacity of the drying apparatus.

Heretofore it has been customary to dry macaroni and spaghetti and similar products by suspending the material fringe-like on suitable racks and subjecting them. while so suspended to the action of an air blast or impulses produced by blowers or fans.

In the prior art devices, the fans were disposed with their axes of rotation at right angles to the strands of spaghetti to direct currents of air transversely of the longitudinal axis of the product, thereby setting up a swayii'ig motion to produce a circulation of air around the pending strands of paste. The difliculty encountered by the use of apparatus of this nature are chiefly the ineflicient circulation of air on account of the fact that the strands nearest the fan. or blower receive the full force of the blast and the material farthest remote from the fan is practically unaffected by the blast, with the result that the finished product varies throughout in quality.

In accordance with the present invention I propose to direct the blasts or air currents in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of the strands of spaghetti or macaroni,

Serial No. 249,241.

and I further provide means for producing a uniform volume of air blast over substantially the entire surface area in which the strands are suspended. I also provide means for directing the blast from both directions of the strands to ensure a. uniform' volume of circulating air throughout the entire treating chamber.

In the accompanying drawings constituting a part hereof and in which like ref erence characters (lt natc like parts, Fig. l is a front elcvatoual view, partially in. section, of the drying apl'iaratusembodying the principles of this invention; and Fig. 2 a. top plan view thereof.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawing, the structure therein illustrated comprises a chamber constituted by a floor 1, side walls 2 and a top or ceiling 3, the front wall being provided with doors at to provide an entrance to the interior of the chamber.

lVithin the chamber a plurality of vertical supports 5 formed of structural steel members, such, as angle irons, are secured to the floor 1 and ceiling 3 and transversely disposed angle irons (5 aresecured to the up r'rhts 5 to form racks for receiving sticks or bars 7 upon which the material. 8 to be treated, such as spaghetti, supported in pending strands. The bars 7 carrying the product are arranged transversely of the chamber in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2 and a plurality of spaced apart sections are provided as shown in F iig. 1 to support the loaded bars in superposed relation within the treating chamber. A plurality of propellers 9 are mounted on a shaft 10 which is journalled for rotation centrally of the chamber as illustrated in Fig. 2, the shaft 10 being provided with a sprocket gear 11 having a linked connection 12 with a drive gear 13 that isactuated by a motor 14- mounted on, a platform 15 supported on the ceiling member 3 of the chamber.

As shown in Fig. 1, the propellers are spaced to be disposed between the layers of spaghetti so that each fringe-like layer is subjected to the blast produced by the fan on two sides. Although the propellers are shown at the bottom and between the suc cessive layers of the product and none atthe top, it is obvious that the propellers may be mounted on the shaft above the upper layer of product if desired, but on account of the relatively short distance from the top of the upper layer to the ceiling, I have found iii that the air forced from the upper fan through the fringes of spaghetti will react from the ceiling suiiiciently to subseqiiiently treat the upper row, and the capacity of the upper propeller is further augmented by the propellers disposed between the middle and lower row, so that a propeller above the upper tier of the product may be dispensed with if desired.

By disposing the propellers in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1, each individual strand of the product is subjected to a relatively. large volume of circulating air which is uniformly distributed between. the several strands, and the blast itself produces angular movement oi. the individual strands appearing as a wave like motion such as wheat growing in a field when acted upon by the wind.

In the treatment of products of this kind, it is quite essential to regulate temperature and humidity of the air in the chamber and for this purpose a steam line 17 is provided with suitable valve connections either within or without the drying chamber for regulating the flow of steam therethrough. The line is in the form of rectangular coil as shown in Fig. 2 terminating into a connection 18 leading to the source of supply. lVithin the steam line I provide a plurality of screened openings 19 leading to an air blast which is connected to an air washing device of the type well known in the art. The openings 19 are adapted to be controlled by suitable dampers or shutters to regulate the {low of washed air into the chamber.

I further provide a plurality of screened openings 20 around the outer periphery of the chamber although it is immaterial as to the particular location, these openings leading to an exhaust fan or other suitable evacuating device The exhaust openings may be regulated in the manner of the open lugs 19 to control the exhaust, it of course being obvious that both the passages 19 and 20 may be closed if desired.

In the operation of the apparatus, the product to be treated is supported on bars 7 which in turn are charged into the apparatus by supporting them successively on the transverse angle bars 6 in suitable spaced apart relation as shown in Fig. 2, and layers are built up in the manner as shown in Fig.-

1. After the apparatus is fully charged, the motor 14 is energized to rotate the propeller shaft 10 thereby actuating the pro-- pellers 9 which set up a forced circulation of air throughout the drying chamber.

The supply of steam is regulated in accordance with the amount of heat required during the dilferent periods of treatment, and the supply of washed air entering through the openings 19 as well as the exhaust air leaving through the perforations or openings 20 is regulated as required.

It is obvious from the foregoing description of this invention that apparatus for treating spaghetti and the like, formed in accordance therewith, provides simple and eilicient means for treating the product to assure a uniform quality. It is further evident that uniformity of treatment can only be produced by subjecting the individual strings to the action of air blasts accomplished by the disposition of the propellers in the manner illustrated, whereas if the fans were disposed at the sides of the strands, only the ones adjacent the fans would receive the full effect of the blast.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will. be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the principles herein setforth.

I claim: 7

1. Apparatus for drying spaghetti and the like'which comprises a drying chamber,

racks provided in said chamber for sustain ing the niaterial in pending strands in superposed layers, a propeller shaft vertically disposed. centrally of said chamber, and propellers mounted to rotate with said shaft, said propellers being disposed between successive layers.

2. Apparatus for drying spaghetti and the like which comprises a drying chamber,

racks provided in said chamber for sustaining the material. in pending strands in superposed. layers, a propeller shaft vertically disposed centrally of said chamber, pr pellers mounted to rotate with said shaft, said propellers being disposed between successive layers, and means for maintaining a suit-- able drying atmosphere in said chamber.

Ap jmratus for drying spaghetti and the like which comprises a dryin chamber, racks provided in said chamber tor sustaining the material in depending strands in superposed layers, and propellers disposed between successive layers and adjacent each end of said strands.

ALEXANDER GALLERANI. 

